Pneumatic door operating device



April 24, 1951 P. c. HELZ 2,

PNEUMATIC DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Filed June 17, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR PHHJP C.HELZ

ATTORNEYS April 24, 1951 c, L 2,550,349

v PNEUMATIC DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Filed June 17, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AT ORNEYS oldst'andard spring element;

Patented Apr. 24 1 951 2,550,349 I PNEUMATIC noon OPERATING DEVICE Philip C. Helz, Milwaukee, Wis. Application June 17, 1949, Serial No. 99,660

*My invention refers to fluid controlled door actuating mechanism. f

The primary object of :my invention is to provide a simple, positive and effective'fully controlledfluid door actuating mechanism, in contradistinction to the standard semi-fluid door controlling mechanism, 'now in use, thesame being combined with a springpower element to complete the cycleofoperation. In this standard structure practice, as demonstrated, the spring "element, due to use, frequently fails or deteriorates in its functioning. V i

' A further object of my invention is to pro' vide a fluid controlled master cylinder and afluid V controlledauxiliary cylinder, each'of which cylinders are associated with "a fluid valve, whereby fluid under pressure is introduced into the master cylinder to partially "open a door, followed by the fluid being introduced; into an auxiliary cylinder "to complete the door opening or, closing" operations, the said auxiliary cylinderland associated mechanism therewith being substituted for the ,A still further object of myinventionis to provide a bell crank lever, having ,a pull andthrust rod connection with a" door, the long arm of whichjbell crank is connected to the master cylfinder, while the short armjo'f said bell crank lever is indirectly connected to, the auxiliary cyljind.er, whereby, an initial p1111;'acti 0n upon the .doorconnected .rod is ffollowedbya thrust action 7 of said :rod, which is exerted by theauxiliary vcylindex to complete .the cycle to open or close the vdoori the cycle being under control of a valve which may; be manually operated or said valve, under certain conditions, ,may be remotely actu- :atediby anelectricpushbutton,

, uwiththe above and other objectsiin' view, which lwill .appearsas the description proceeds; the'jinvention resides in the novel construction, oombinationand arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described, and morepar-ticularly "defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes: in the precise embodiflment of -the herein disclosed invention may be :madeas come within-the scope .of theiclaims. L in-the accompanying vdrawin s is illustrated ';one complete example of the physical embodiment vof the present invention constructed ac cording to the bestmodeso iar devised for the practical application at the principles-thereof.

In the drawings: v EFigureJl represents a partially. sectional plan ,miew of the door actuating mechanism, embody 's oiaims. (01. 2684s),

ing the features of my invention, the section being indicated by line I, l of Figure 3.

Figure 2 i asimil-ar sectional elevation, illustrating the position of the mechanism and associated doorpartly open. Q

Figure 3 is a face'view ofthe-mech-anism connected to a fragmental portion of the door frame and door, the section being indicated by line '3, 3 of Figure l. I

Figure 4 is a detailed cross sectional elevation,

particularly illustrating the bracket;- and associatedfluid cylinders the section being indicated by line 4, 4 of Figure 2'.

t Figure 5 is a similar cross sectional elevation of the mechanism, the same being takenupon a different plain, the-section being indicated by line'5 ,-5 o'fFigure 2. I r

Figure'6 is anenlarged detailedsectional-elevation of a fluid valve employed to direct aconst-ant fluid to both 'of 'thecylinders, the section illustrating a valve headin' its closed position;

, and

' Figure '1 is a similar sectionalelevation shoting 'thevalve headin it" open position.

Referring by characters to the drawingspn indicates the frame of a door opening and a hinged door associated therewith.

secured to pportion of th doorifrg me A is the base 1 of a bracket, which base is pro vided with longitudinally disposeditrack' flanges 2, and extending outwardly from the base is a pair of tongues 3, 3.

The rear end of the base has secured thereto an auxiliary fluid cylinder 4, which cylinder in effect constitutes a part of the base.

:For convenience in construction, the integral auxiliary base cylinder has extended therefrom apertured ears 5, 5 and pivotallymountedin the ear apertures is a hollow stud 6, which stud ex- ,tends from the apertured head cap 6' of a master fluid cylinder 1. V V 1 j I The auxiliary cylinder 4 is provided with a standard piston rod 4' and its associated piston, While the master cylinder '1 is provided with a similar piston rod 9 andits associated piston, thus it should be noted that the master cylinder 1 in effect is pivoted to the base of the bracket.

Pivotally mounted between the tongues 3 of the bracket is the hubof a bell crank lever in, having a short arm H extending inwardlytowards the door frame and a long arm 12 extending obliquely .towardspthe door hinges.

iFor strengthening purposes, the bell .cran lever-is provided with a pair .of strengthening "struts J2 extending fromzthe ;hub ,to the outer end of said lever long arm and a third strut I I, which extends from the short arm of said lever to an offset portion of the long arm, it being understood, for convenience in production, the lon arm of said lever is formed from parallel angle iron strips centrally spaced apart to form an adjusting slot l3.

The adjusting slot I3 of the long arm of said lever has suitably secured thereto a strap I4, terminating with an apertured hub I4, for the reception of an eye bolt I5 loosely mounted in the hub. The bolt carries a sleeve I5 that is provided with a set screw I6, and said bolt sleeve has adjustably fitted therein a pull and'thrust rod IT. The inner end of the rod I1 is downturned for the reception of a pivot clip I8, which clip is secured to the upper edge of the door B ata predetermined distance from the hinge thereof.

The oifset end of the bell crank lever long arm has pivotally secured thereto the end of the piston rod 9,,which is associated'with the master cylinder I.

The tracks 2 of the bracket base have slidably mounted thereon a shoe I9, which shoe is provided with a lug I9 that abuts the piston rod 4 of the cylinder 4, the said rod being provided with the usual piston reciprocated in the cylinder, as best indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings.

The slidable shoe is also provided with a right angle finger I9", which finger has adjustably mounted therein a tappet 20.

The slidableshoe I9 has also pivoted thereto a link 2I, the opposite end of which link is pivoted to the short arm II of the bell crank lever.

Secured to the upper tongue 3 of the bracket is the casing 22 of a reeiprocative valve head 24, the longitudinal center of which valve head is in alignment with the shoe tappet 20.

, As illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings, the hollow valve casing 22 is provided with a cylindrical barrel 23, into which is reciprocatively mounted the valve head 24, which valve head is provided with an annular auxiliary channel 25 and a-similar annular master channel 26,

it beingunderstood that one end of the valve head 24 projects through a cap closure 22' of the valve casing.

The intermediate portion of the valve casing has fitted therein an auxiliary fluid supply pipe 21, and a master supply pipe 28, which pipes are spaced apart and communicate with the barrel 23 of the casing and the channels 25, 2B of the valve head.

Upon the opposite side of the valve casing 22, I provide a centrally disposed constant fluid pipe 29, which pipe selectively communicates with the valve head auxiliary channel and the master channel thereof.

The valve casing is also provided witha vent port 30 under control of the valve head 24, whereby upon a forward movement of said valve head, its annular chamber and associated pipe 21 are vented and a similar associated port 30' extends through the casing in communication with the master valve head chamber 26 and is out off from said chamber when the valve head is moved forward, whereby communication is established between the constant supply pipe 29 and the master pipe 28 through the master channel 26 of the valve head. 7

' In order to put the valve actuating mechanism into operation, I provide a starting fiuid pipe 3|,

which pipe has fitted therein a spring controlled manually actuated valve SI and said starting pipe communicates with the constant fluid sup- 4 1 ply pipe 29 and the rear end of the valve barrel 22, whereby the valve head is instantly shifted forwardly, as best shown in Figure 6 of the drawings, it being understood, when the slidable shoe moves rearwardly in conjunction with the auxiliary piston, the tappet thereof will abut the exposed end of the valve head and push the same rearwardly, as indicated in Figure 6 of the drawmgs.

From the foregoing description, when the door is in its closed position, as best shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, to open the same the starting valve 2| is manipulated, whereby the valve head is moved forward, as shown in Figure 7 of the drawings. In said position the auxiliary cylinder, which is now under fiuid pressure is relieved of vsaidp ressure, due to the fluid passing through through the port 30.

the auxiliary channel and exhausting therefrom At the same time communication is established between the constant fluid-pipe 26' and the fluid pipe 28 to the hollow pivotal connection of the master valve I.

The constant fluid power is then discharged against the piston rod 9, and the master cylinder rod, and will cause the bell-crank to swing from right to left (see Figure 2) upon its pivot, whereby a pull action is exerted upon the door B to cause the same to assume a position approximately slightly beyond a normal half opening of said door, whereby the pivot connection between the door and rod H has passed a dead center imaginary line, intersecting the door hinge and .pivot connection with the long lever arm, as

best shown in Figure 2.

When themechanism assumes this partially open position of the door, the master cylinder has completed its stroke and also the sliding shoe 3, whereby-thetappet 29 of said shoe will engage and move the Valve-head back to'its closed position as shownin Figure. 6 of the drawings, and in effecting this backward movementof the valve head, it should also be noted that the shoe has moved the auxiliarypiston 4- with its piston head in its rearward position relative to theauxiliary cylinder. f

Hence, when the final opening action of the door. takes place, constant fluid from the pipe 29 will travel through. the auxiliary channel 25 into the pipe 2,! which communicates with the rear end of the auxiliary cylinder and the fluid introduced into saidjauxiliary cylinder will thus exert power upon the short arm of the bell crank, whereby said bell crank lever will return to its normal position of rest, as indicated in dotted lines of Figure 2, and due to this return swing of the long arm of the lever, it will exert a thrust pressure upon the rodII, whereby said rod will push the door fully open, as shown in dotted lines-in Figure 2 of the drawings. Thus the complete'm'ovement in opening a door is effected entirely byrfiuid pressure.

It is understood, should it be desired to open the door more fully than the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, this greater swing of the door may be efiected by changing the position of the rod clip I8, withreference to the door hinges, whereby said clip would be moved closer to the hinges, and to complete this change of stroke, with reference to the rod [1, it is understood that the set screw I6 of the sleeve I5 is loosened, whereby said rod-is adjusted in the sleeve I5 and locked therein by the set screws I6.

When it is desired to close the door, the manually actuated valve is again operated and fluid 5 under pressure will enter the master cylinder 1 forcing the piston and piston rod 9 outwardly and the rod I! will exert a pull on the door B. The momentum of the swinging movement of the door will carry the pivotal point of the rod [1 on the door past dead center between the door hinges and the pivot point I5 of the rod with the bell crank lever l0. At this time the sliding shoe will actuate the slide valve and the flow of fluid under pressure to the master cylinder I will be cut off and fluid under pressure will enter the auxiliary cylinder 4. The piston and piston rod of the auxiliary cylinder through link connection with the short arm of the bell crank will swing the bell crank in a reverse direction toward the door frame to a normal position and the rod I! will then push on the door and move thesame to its fully closed position. The manual valve 3| is immediately released after the initial thrust on the door and this valve is returned to 20 its normal position under influence of its spring.

While I have specifically included in my description various details of construction, it is understood that said details may be varied within the knowledge of the skilled mechanic for accomplishing the same final results.

I claim:

1. In a device for opening and closing swinging doors, a bell crank lever rockably mounted at its angle on the frame of the door and including a long and a short arm, means operatively connecting the long arm to the door, a main cylinder pivoted to the frame in spaced relation to the bell crank, a piston and piston rod for the cylinder, means pivotally connecting the piston rod to the long arm of the bell crank adjacent to its outer end, an auxiliary cylinder, a piston and piston rod for the auxiliary cylinder, means operatively connecting the piston rod of the auxiliary cylinder to the short arm of the bell crank, means including a manually operated valve for initially supplying fluid under pressure to the main cylinder for actuating the bell crank in one direction and the door to a partially opened position, and automatic means for cutting off the supply of fluid to the main cylinder after partial opening of the door and for supplying fluid under pressure to the auxiliary cylinder for further operation of the bell crank in a reverse direction and the door to its fully opened position.

2. In a device for opening and closing swinging doors as defined in claim 1 in which said means for operatively connecting the long arm of the bell crank to the door includes an operating rod pivotally secured to the bell crank and to the door.

3. In a device for opening and closing swinging doors as defined in claim 1 in which the automatic means for cutting ofi the supply of fluid to the main cylinder and for supplying fluid under pressure to the auxiliary cylinder includes a slide valve, and a sliding shoe secured directly to this piston rod of the auxiliary cylinder for movement with said piston rod and means for actuating the slide valve from said shoe when said shoe reaches a predetermined position.

PHILIP C. HELZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 612,324 Frazier et a1. Oct. 11, 1898 1,037,267 Knight Sept. 3, 1912 2,190,653 Dunn Feb. 20, 1940 2,380,334 Schoelkopf July 10, 1945 

